IAA SPOTLIGHT: GET TO KNOW – KOMMOTION – NEBRASKA’S HOTTEST STAR!

KOMMOTION: I was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. My family members grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois. They moved here before I was born.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: What is your music background?

KOMMOTION: Growing up my whole family listened and sang along to music. As a kid I listened to music a lot and always felt this passion for it, yet couldn’t wrap my head around what it was trying to tell me to do. Growing up I was in the band at school, playing a variety of instruments from the violin to the trap set, but it just wasn’t my thing. This was when hip-hop and rap started taking over and I realized that was the passion deep inside of me that I was missing. I started to write down my raps during my junior year in high school for therapeutic use and it gradually turned into my lifestyle.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: Why do you want to record and release your music?

KOMMOTION: Recording and releasing my music is the reason that I write it. I want my fans (and even people who maybe didn’t know I was a rapper) to hear what I can put forth as a musician. Getting into the studio and putting in 100% to make my songs better is all I dream of. Writing the song and practicing it is more of how I started this hobby. Now after I complete a song, all I think about is how I can make it unique and attract the audience’s attention. Without recording and releasing it I would only be making music for myself and I want to make my music for everyone out there willing to give it a listen.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: What are your songs about?

KOMMOTION: The majority of my songs are about perseverance and showing off my skill as a writer. It’s always my goal to put out my next song to let the listeners know that I’m still working and I’m still dedicated. It’s my goal to let listeners know that I can have fun with my music, yet still make people want to sing a long or get down and dance to it. Like I said before, I started writing songs as a hobby. As much as I like making “pump up” type of songs, I always have to dig deep into my heart and make a real meaningful song. I can go a couple of weeks busting out tracks that are upbeat with catchy lyrics showing off some of my lyrical skill, but it gets to a point where I can’t write anything more without putting a real story on the paper. Every couple of weeks or so I feel lost if I haven’t put my heart on my paper, and that is what keeps me motivated with my musical career.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: Who are your musical influences?

KOMMOTION: As a kid my sister was always playing Biggie Smalls and Pac, as much as I want to say that they are my musical influences, I can’t. I could go on and on about who inspires me in different ways, whether it’s lyrical, catchy, real, hood, or any of those categories that inspire me. If I had to choose some musical influences it would have to be Dizzy Wright, Logic, and J. Cole. The thing about each of those rappers is that I witnessed and watched as they elevated in the rap game, making a name for themselves. I remember listening to Dizzy and Logic before anyone even knew about them and now they’re the buzz around the streets. If anyone says J. Cole isn’t a musical influence, well I don’t exactly know what I would do, but he I would argue that is a lyrical poet who puts words together better than anyone else I have heard. These three musicians have kept me going since day one. I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t jealous of those three at first, but I got over that jealousy and used their music as sort of a reference point to keep me on track with my own musical career.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: How would you describe your music to people?

KOMMOTION: I would describe my music to people as very outgoing and alive. It has the insight of a late high school student and early college kid. Most importantly I would say that my music flows very well with the beats that I rap over. Whenever people ask me about my music I make it clear that I work hard on my flow. Whether or not the listener likes the lyrical content, or even the beat, they can acknowledge the skillful flow that I incorporate.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: What makes you stand out from other artists?

KOMMOTION: I think the biggest thing that helps me stand out from other artists is the fact that I was born and raised in Lincoln Nebraska. I can first hand witness and describe the lack of hip-hop/rap music we have here in Nebraska. People on a day-to-day basis ask why I still rap while even going to college, adding how the chances of me becoming big or blowing up are very slim to none. I love that though and use their negativity as motivation. Even though I was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, I can rap as if I was born and raised anywhere else in the world, which is one of the biggest reasons why I stand out from other artists.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: Tell us about one of the hardest challenges you had to face in your music career and how did you overcome?

KOMMOTION: I started rapping my junior year because I got into a little bit of trouble and used it as a therapeutic way to relieve stress and take up my time. I realized music was a huge passion for me and after I got out of all my trouble I had to make a transition. During the 11 months or so that I was in trouble, I wrote down raps every day as a hobby. After I got out of trouble I didn’t exactly know if that would change anything. It was my dad who first told me to put my music out there for people to hear. At the time I had been writing music for a while but never put it out because overall I am very cautious with how people perceive me. My dad broke me out of my box and got me to start putting all of my newest songs that I wrote online for people to hear, and to this day I thank him. Without his inspiration of telling me to go big or go home, I wouldn’t have gotten positive feedback from any of the fans I have today.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: What are some upcoming projects you are currently working on?

KOMMOTION: I am currently working on releasing a mix tape towards the end of fall. The guys I rap with have also been pretty consistent booking shows at local venues here in Lincoln. I have two more shows coming up before the end of the year on top of releasing my mix tape. This new mix tape I’m working on is going to take my fans’ breath away. I try to throw in a variety of songs that I love to make so it can relate to other listeners as well. I’m a little more than half way through this project and I’m looking forward to releasing it and getting feedback from people and my fans!

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: What are your career goals? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

KOMMOTION: My main career goal is to live off of traveling around the world, performing in front of people. It seems like these days all musicians want is money, fame, and power, but if I could just make a living off of performing my music to people who support me then I would be ecstatic. 10 years from now I want to have established a ground name for Kommotion across the United States. I want to have tours set up in as many states and even countries as possible. I will be 29 in ten years and I want to be known as the face of Lincoln, Nebraska. I want the first ever big name out of Nebraska in hip-hop history to be Kommotion, with a legit story behind my name and how I became one of the best hip-hop/rap musicians.

IAA INDUSTRY NEWS: How can your fans access your music and contact you?

KOMMOTION: I try to put my music on as many websites/social media sites as possible. The top three places where my fans can access my music would be Hotnewhiphop.com, Reverbnation.com, and soundcloud.com. For each of those three if you search in “Kommotion” I should be the first one on the list. From each of those websites you can download, share, or just listen to my music for free and as many times as you want! If you also follow me on twitter, or Facebook, I always update those with my new music news!

I’ve listened to this guy a lot lately, and even got to interview him for my radio show. He has real talent, and will no doubt be a big name one day. He is only 19, but it seems like he has the talent and experience of veteran rapper. Great freestyler, great flow, great lyrics. I’m surprised he hasn’t blown up already.

I’ve been supporting my dude Kommotion since day one, and respect the shit out of him for continuing to do his thing. Listening to his first song and comparing it to where he is today is unbelievable. Always changing up his flow, and his lyrics really make you think, clever as fuck! Good shit man

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